Centennial vs Amarillo: which hop to use

Data sheet

The two hops side by side on the numbers and aroma that decide it, and which to reach for.

Published hop data side by side

Origin	Centennial: United States · Amarillo: United States
Centennial alpha acid	7.8 to 11.5 %
Amarillo alpha acid	6.7 to 11 %
Centennial total oil	1.6 to 2.5 mL/100 g
Amarillo total oil	up to 1.9 mL/100 g
Centennial myrcene	30.7 to 65.7 %
Amarillo myrcene	16.7 to 70 %
Centennial aroma	Citrus with woody-spicy notes of spruce and tonka, fruity raspberry and lychee, and fresh lemon and bergamot
Amarillo aroma	Fruity apricot, peach, ripe banana and honeydew melon with tart grapefruit and lime

Both are American aroma hops, but Centennial is sharper lemon-citrus with more alpha while Amarillo is softer orange, apricot and melon.

Choose Centennial for a clean citrus that can also carry some bitterness.

Choose Amarillo for a gentler stone-fruit and orange aroma late in the beer.